I Thessalonians - Week 3

Sunday, January 17, 2021

  1. Who is a church leader that really made a significant impact on you? What do you think was the key reason that they were so influential for you? 

  2. In this week’s sermon, Pastor Jason shared the marks of a faithful church leader as described in I Thessalonians 2:1-12. Take some time to read that passage aloud. 

  3. The first mark of a faithful church leader that Jason mentioned was “perseverance through hardship”. 

    • In vs 2, Paul references the hardships they faced in Philippi. What were those hardships? (See Acts 16:11-24) 

    • What other types of hardships did Paul face in his time of ministry? 

  4. What kind of hardships (internal & external) do church leaders face today in 2021? 

  5. The second mark of a faithful church leader is “pure motives”. In vs 4, what does Paul say is the supreme task of a church leader? 

    • Why does that seem to be such a hard task today? 

  6. Why would the gospel (good news) be offensive to some? 

  7. The third mark of a faithful church leader was “parental love”. Discuss the differences between the “nursing mother” approach in vs 7 and the “father” approach described in vs 11-12. 

    • How should church leaders embody those approaches today? 

  8. The fourth mark of a faithful church leader was “personal godliness”. In vs 10, Paul used 3 words to describe the leaders: holy, righteous, and blameless. Define those words. 

    • What are some specific ways that church leaders can pursue holiness, righteousness, and blamelessness now? 

    • What happens to a church when its leaders are not pursuing personal godliness? 

  9. The fifth mark was a “passion for church maturity”. In vs 12, Paul uses the phrase “walk in a manner worthy of God”. How can someone do this? 

    • Describe the difference between trying to “live up to what God expects from you” vs “living out of who God has made you to be”. 

  10. How do these 5 marks impact your thoughts on selecting elders & deacons at UBC? 

    • What specific character qualities, passions, or practices are you looking for in your church leadership?

  11. Are these 5 marks only applicable to church leaders? How will you process them in your own life?

Phil Wing